Friday, October 5, 2012

Last week we talked about some different types of procrastination and how to recognise which type of procrastination we're falling into.

It's only once you know where you are that you can find solutions to shake out the poison that could destroy your passion.

Today, we're sharing with you some useful tips to beat procrastination.

Get organised- the more organise you are the less chance there is for you to procrastinate. There are many ways to keep yourself in control of your personal and business activities. You can have a to do list. You could diarise all tasks in a diary, calendar, or even your mobile devices. Do whatever works for you. Keep it nice and simple.

Create a system- System are one of the most important aspects of running a business. Just one thing to remember... keep your organisational systems simple. If it's too complicated it won't empower you to use it and it'll become just another chore you'll want to avoid. So K.I.S.S it ! (Keep It Simple, Stupid). At ArtSHINE, we introduce the "OPIC" system to our clients.

Aim For 1% Improvement Everyday!- a one percent improvement is something we are all capable of doing. The power of this is that if you do this every single day, then you will completely transform your business and your life in a realistic period of time. So for you to achieve this, you need to set purpose goals everyday. Know what you want to achieve, or set out specific tasks you would like to complete today. Having daily goals or a To Do List would give you real purpose. Focus on today, and work to out do your yesterday.

List your goals or tasks on paper- Make a list of what needs to be achieved on the day. There are two ways to do this:

1. No order of importance- This can be listed in no particular order and will give you a handle on just what you need to get done.

2. By order of importance- You may also choose to rank them by order of importance. For example, following up customer leads may be more important to you than cleaning your studio.

When you have executed a task, mark it off on your list with a colour pen. It gives you visual confirmation that you're getting somewhere. This kind of feeling gives you a psychological boost and motivation to move forward. We have clients who've told us "I feel as if I'm getting nothing done today", but when we ask them to make a list of what they have done, and get them to look over what's crossed off the list they can really see that they've actually done quite a bit. Some times you can just constantly add new tasks to the list without realising all the things that you've actually achieved. So it's very important to do a review of your progress at the end of each day. That way you can evaluate and plan your tasks for the next day too.

Understanding The 4 DOs(Can do, Could Do, Must Do, and Would Do)- prioritize what tasks are important to you and your business. Define the important vs the urgent. Set deadlines on all tasks that you want to accomplish. Clearly focus on the difference between the urgent and the important, it will be critical to your future success in what you do. Also have a clear understanding of the activities you undertake, and ensure that they are the right activities for the right time.

90 Days Planner- Sort your goals or tasks into short, medium, or long term goals. Take what's at the top of your priority list and determine how long it will take to accomplish. If it's a quick job, put that down to be done the same day. If the job may take longrer, divide it into smaller tasks to be spread out over several days. Write this in your 90 days planner with specific dates for completion of each task. Get your 90 days plan organised as a matter of priority by understanding the difference between the Urgent things and the important things. By doing it in this way keeps you focused on what’s important so you don't get distracted. Keep filling your planner until you have time set aside to do each task while still meeting your deadlines. Be careful to not over commit yourself and give yourself some time for delays. This will allow you to feel confident and competent that you can achieve all you need in the time you have planned. Now you can chill out and concentrate on one task at a time without feeling you have to get everything done at the same time.

Chunk it down- the most effective way to stop feeling overwhelmed is to break things into smaller sizes. If the goal is too big then you can chunk it down into sub goals so it is easy for you to implement the tasks. Have you heard the saying; "How to eat an elephant?" The answer is one bite at the time...

Time allowance- when you set goals or plan a project always allow extra time. You know about Murphy's Law"... when something can go wrong, it will... So give yourself more than enough time to complete each task. You probably don't need all the time you've allowed for, that is fine too, that means you are ahead of schedule, a great feeling to have. Allowing this extra time will give you a feeling of moving forward that will empower you to do more. At the very least, you won't be left rushing to finish and getting stressed. If you are behind of schedule, don't panic. Just focus on the important tasks first. Don't be afraid to ask for help from friends and family members. You can also delegate some of the work to your team members, there is nothing wrong in getting more people to help out. Success people don't do everything themselves, they have great helpers. Be creative and think outside the square.

Time for refresh- as you work through your tasks you may find your mind drifting off to all the activities you'd rather be doing. You will find it much easier to concentrate on your work if you know that you have scheduled time for these activities. Tell yourself I will work hard today accomplishing my goals because tomorrow is Saturday and I have scheduled time to go socialising. Knowing that you have finished your tasks will also make it easier to relax and enjoy your leisure time.